5. Admitted to others and ourselves the exact nature of wrongs we had committed in the name of theism.
"I am convinced that I am acting as the agent of our Almighty Creator. By fighting the Jews, I am doing the Lord's work."
— Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf
This is a tough one. I think most people, regardless of religious affiliation, are generally decent. Not many protest at the funerals of US soldiers because they fought for a 'sinful' country. Most priests don't molest alter boys. Only fringe members of certain Christian denominations shoot abortion doctors. Only extremist Muslims behead prisoners, strap bombs to themselves, or fly planes into buildings. (Some would argue the last example is politically rather than religiously motivated. Regardless, the actions are still shrouded in the trappings of religion.)
However, fighting to deny fundamental civil rights (like marrying who you want) relegates a segment of society to second-class status. The struggle to infuse non-scientific dogma into public school science curriculum is damaging not only to the advancement of individuals' critical thinking skills, but also helps to marginalize science education, which is becoming increasingly necessary to maintain America's competitiveness in the international community. Lobbying to tie African AIDS relief to abstinence only programs is not only ineffective, but a despicable disregard for the health and well-being of humanity in general.
On a more personal level, there are stories of those who have broken from their religious upbringing only to be disowned by their own families. In extreme cases, family members have been murdered for violating certain tenants of their religion.
Military personnel have been discriminated against for not participating in prayer groups. High school students are ostracized for challenging intelligent design, not participating the pledge of allegiance, or sitting out prayers at sporting events.
It's time to own up to any discrimination or violence committed against those who believe in a different deity, the same deity differently, or no deity at all. It feels good; a great weight will lift from your shoulders.
Think Well
LV
05 March 2009
16 December 2008
War on Christmas.
We atheists love the holiday season! It’s the time of year to scowl at anyone wishing us holiday greetings of any kind, be it a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or Good Kwanzaa. Even calling the winter celebration Yule or Saturnalia gives us all a smug sense of superiority knowing that we are not yoked to superstition. Whenever we hear the claim "Jesus is the reason for the season," we can counter with the smarmy "Really, I thought it was Mithras," or the coldly scientific "Actually, its the tilt of the Earth." Everyone knows this is the time of year when atheists get out the war paint and roam the streets in gangs knocking down Salvation Army bell ringers and pissing in nativity crèches. Oh, the holiday joy!
Puhleeze!
Congress voted in 1870 to make Christmas Day a national holiday, thus making in a secular American holiday. Since, as we all know, "congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," (we do all know that, right?) the very act of voting to make it an official holiday stripped Christmas of any religious connotations. Do not be alarmed; there are any number of winter festival traditions in which you can freely participate. As for me, I'm just glad the days are getting longer (up here in the northern hemisphere, anyway,) and I expect to enjoy some family time and some good food and drink.
It makes no difference to me how you choose to celebrate, just please don't insist that your way is the only way or that the season is reserved for those that share your faith.
Merry Christmas!
Think well,
LV
Puhleeze!
Congress voted in 1870 to make Christmas Day a national holiday, thus making in a secular American holiday. Since, as we all know, "congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," (we do all know that, right?) the very act of voting to make it an official holiday stripped Christmas of any religious connotations. Do not be alarmed; there are any number of winter festival traditions in which you can freely participate. As for me, I'm just glad the days are getting longer (up here in the northern hemisphere, anyway,) and I expect to enjoy some family time and some good food and drink.
It makes no difference to me how you choose to celebrate, just please don't insist that your way is the only way or that the season is reserved for those that share your faith.
Merry Christmas!
Think well,
LV
09 November 2008
Read Your Bible! (step 4.)
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of the ancient texts with which we were indoctrinated.
"Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand."
— Mark Twain
In my first 18 years of life, I went to a liberal catholic church almost every week. Although typically glazed over through most of the services, I remember the stories of kindness, like the good Samaritan and feeding the poor (i.e. loaves and fishes.) I also recall the miraculous stories about walking on water and rising from the dead.
Perhaps it was because it was coming from the liberal end of the denomination, but we weren't read the verses about how it is better to offer you virgin daughter and your guest’s concubine to the mob of angry rapists instead of your Levite guest (they took the concubine.) Or, how after “they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning” the noble Levite chopped her up into twelve pieces, bones and all, and “sent her into all the coasts of Israel.” This charming story is from Judges 19:22-29.
I didn’t hear about how, if God has killed both you and your sister’s husbands, and you have no children, you should, in order to continue you genetic line, get your father drunk and have your way with him. Not once, but two nights in a row, once for each sister.
Lucky for me, my parents aren’t bible literalists; otherwise I would probably not have survived my teenage years as I did my fair share of cursing them.
Fortunately for my sister in law, my brother does not actually believe that she should have been stoned to death on her father’s doorstep for not being a virgin on their wedding night. (I only know this for sure because my nephew was at their wedding. [Unless of course there is something extra special about him I don’t know…])
Any version of the bible is rife with brutality, cruelty, murder, and general nastiness. This includes the Book of Mormon, which is simply yet another re-write of the ancient myths, and the texts of the Jehovah’s Witness’, a wildly non-traditional bible interpretation. Jehovah’s Witness are not even allowed to read the bible on their own since they are deemed incapable of proper interpretation without help from their “betters.”
Don’t let another human tell you what god wants. How the hell do they know? As Susan B. Anthony said: "I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires."
Every major religion has ancient texts that are regarded holy. Even cursory scrutiny will reveal a deity that is vicious, intolerant, and petty. The oft-repeated mantra of a loving benevolent supreme being is just that, mantra. It is not evident in ‘sacred’ texts. Don’t believe me? Take a look at Skeptic’s Annotated Bible. They deconstruct not only the Bible, but also the Q’uran and the Book Of Mormon.
Think Well,
LV
"Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand."
— Mark Twain
In my first 18 years of life, I went to a liberal catholic church almost every week. Although typically glazed over through most of the services, I remember the stories of kindness, like the good Samaritan and feeding the poor (i.e. loaves and fishes.) I also recall the miraculous stories about walking on water and rising from the dead.
Perhaps it was because it was coming from the liberal end of the denomination, but we weren't read the verses about how it is better to offer you virgin daughter and your guest’s concubine to the mob of angry rapists instead of your Levite guest (they took the concubine.) Or, how after “they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning” the noble Levite chopped her up into twelve pieces, bones and all, and “sent her into all the coasts of Israel.” This charming story is from Judges 19:22-29.
I didn’t hear about how, if God has killed both you and your sister’s husbands, and you have no children, you should, in order to continue you genetic line, get your father drunk and have your way with him. Not once, but two nights in a row, once for each sister.
Lucky for me, my parents aren’t bible literalists; otherwise I would probably not have survived my teenage years as I did my fair share of cursing them.
Fortunately for my sister in law, my brother does not actually believe that she should have been stoned to death on her father’s doorstep for not being a virgin on their wedding night. (I only know this for sure because my nephew was at their wedding. [Unless of course there is something extra special about him I don’t know…])
Any version of the bible is rife with brutality, cruelty, murder, and general nastiness. This includes the Book of Mormon, which is simply yet another re-write of the ancient myths, and the texts of the Jehovah’s Witness’, a wildly non-traditional bible interpretation. Jehovah’s Witness are not even allowed to read the bible on their own since they are deemed incapable of proper interpretation without help from their “betters.”
Don’t let another human tell you what god wants. How the hell do they know? As Susan B. Anthony said: "I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires."
Every major religion has ancient texts that are regarded holy. Even cursory scrutiny will reveal a deity that is vicious, intolerant, and petty. The oft-repeated mantra of a loving benevolent supreme being is just that, mantra. It is not evident in ‘sacred’ texts. Don’t believe me? Take a look at Skeptic’s Annotated Bible. They deconstruct not only the Bible, but also the Q’uran and the Book Of Mormon.
Think Well,
LV
05 November 2008
Election aftermath.
I confess to elation with Obama's decisive victory. The world has breathed a sigh of relief. This election has increased our nation's standing in the international community. A measure of the worldwide outpouring of goodwill we received in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, arrogantly and recklessly squandered by the outgoing administration, will return. I also think it has increased trust across ethnic lines within the United States.
Of course, I'm extremely disappointed with California's %52-%48 vote in favor of eliminating the right of gays to marry. In favor of eliminating rights? In a constitution? Despicable. This intolerant measure (prop. 8) was funded primarily by the Mormon Church, but received a boost after an endorsement from the notoriously non-secular pastor Rick Warren. I have yet to hear a legitimate argument against same sex marriage.
The only issues people have with gay marriage come from the various ancient (or not-so-ancient in the case of LDS) storybooks that they worship. This will lead nicely into step four of Theists Anon:
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of the ancient texts with which we were indoctrinated.
Of course, I'm extremely disappointed with California's %52-%48 vote in favor of eliminating the right of gays to marry. In favor of eliminating rights? In a constitution? Despicable. This intolerant measure (prop. 8) was funded primarily by the Mormon Church, but received a boost after an endorsement from the notoriously non-secular pastor Rick Warren. I have yet to hear a legitimate argument against same sex marriage.
The only issues people have with gay marriage come from the various ancient (or not-so-ancient in the case of LDS) storybooks that they worship. This will lead nicely into step four of Theists Anon:
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of the ancient texts with which we were indoctrinated.
28 October 2008
Threat to Marriage?
California's Proposition 8 is shaping up to be the most expensive contest in next week's election after the presidential race itself. A yes vote on Prop 8. will overturn the CA supreme court decision that allows same-sex couples to marry.
There will always be the cries of "activist judges" going against the will off the people. The people who emit these pathetic wails are clearly unfamiliar with the concept of checks and balances and the tyranny of the majority. Part of a judge's job is to determine when laws are unconstitutional. Discrimination counts.
Another complaint from the narrow-minded is that the term "marriage" should be reserved for heterosexual couples and gay couples should have all the same rights in a "civil union." This separate but equal policy didn't work during the era of the Jim Crow laws and it won't work now. All it does is alienate a segment of the population by treating them as second-class citizens. It violates the constitutional tenant of equal protection under the law.
"But, they'll teach it to my kids in school!" Perhaps, if it comes up. Mostly boys marry girls, but sometimes boys marry boys and girls marry girls. This is a fact. Why shouldn't it be taught in schools? No child will be told in any public school who they should marry. (It might happen to a home-schooled child in a separatist Mormon encampment, though...)
There is also the absurd claim floating around that it violates individual freedom of religion. That is an utter crock. No one will be forcing anyone to marry anyone, dammit! You can even continue to believe that homosexuality is an "abomination" or just "hate the sin, love the sinner." If you are a bible literalist, you know that the punishment for homosexuality is not to deny them marriage, but for them to be put to death. You will even be free to believe in this horrid retribution as long as you don't act on it. You can hate whomever you want for whatever reason you like, but our government can't give you the right to discriminate.
One of the most vapid grumbles is that this will somehow violate the "sanctity of marriage." Read your first amendment. The government doesn't do "sanctity." If you are so concerned about the sanctity of marriage, work to legislate a ban on divorce. See how that goes over.
The arguments that gay marriage is somehow a threat to society simply don't hold water.
No on 8. Another straight white man for equality.
Think Well,
LV
There will always be the cries of "activist judges" going against the will off the people. The people who emit these pathetic wails are clearly unfamiliar with the concept of checks and balances and the tyranny of the majority. Part of a judge's job is to determine when laws are unconstitutional. Discrimination counts.
Another complaint from the narrow-minded is that the term "marriage" should be reserved for heterosexual couples and gay couples should have all the same rights in a "civil union." This separate but equal policy didn't work during the era of the Jim Crow laws and it won't work now. All it does is alienate a segment of the population by treating them as second-class citizens. It violates the constitutional tenant of equal protection under the law.
"But, they'll teach it to my kids in school!" Perhaps, if it comes up. Mostly boys marry girls, but sometimes boys marry boys and girls marry girls. This is a fact. Why shouldn't it be taught in schools? No child will be told in any public school who they should marry. (It might happen to a home-schooled child in a separatist Mormon encampment, though...)
There is also the absurd claim floating around that it violates individual freedom of religion. That is an utter crock. No one will be forcing anyone to marry anyone, dammit! You can even continue to believe that homosexuality is an "abomination" or just "hate the sin, love the sinner." If you are a bible literalist, you know that the punishment for homosexuality is not to deny them marriage, but for them to be put to death. You will even be free to believe in this horrid retribution as long as you don't act on it. You can hate whomever you want for whatever reason you like, but our government can't give you the right to discriminate.
One of the most vapid grumbles is that this will somehow violate the "sanctity of marriage." Read your first amendment. The government doesn't do "sanctity." If you are so concerned about the sanctity of marriage, work to legislate a ban on divorce. See how that goes over.
The arguments that gay marriage is somehow a threat to society simply don't hold water.
No on 8. Another straight white man for equality.
Think Well,
LV
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